what would you drive
- Thread starter spork40
- Start date
cbryson
Mbryson's knucklehead kid
- Location
- Davis county
Cherokee.
- Location
- Bountiful, land of rocks
_Auzzy_
Web Wheeling Extraordinaire
- Location
- Richfield Utah
4-runner. actual frame, handle offroad muuucccch better than a churro. if ya want, i got a bud with a 4-runner with a TBI350 just swapped in, needs a tranny and susp and what not but he only wants 350 for it. runs great.
Bear T
Tacoma free since '93
- Location
- Boulder, mt
Scout 80/800 or Box Bronco or Full size Jeep Cherokee Chief... Old Iron is much cooler than new plastic. Easy to be creative with. Easier to work on. More manly.
But thats just me.
But thats just me.
Panos
12Volt Specialist
- Location
- Salt lake City
oh no.... not another one of these threads. Age old argument, jeep vs. toyota. You are going to get a 50/50 here man.
kmboren
Recovering XJ owner anonymous
- Location
- Southern Utah
Cherokee
Cheaper to buy and fix and I thinks parts are also cheaper. Just my opinion of course since I am on my second one. If built RIGHT they are fine.
Cheaper to buy and fix and I thinks parts are also cheaper. Just my opinion of course since I am on my second one. If built RIGHT they are fine.
- Location
- Smithfield Utah
I vote Toyota because they are better. :guilty:
turbohaulic
I don't know it just is!
- Location
- Hyde Park, UT
I'm going to go with the 50/50 man, panos. I think they both have advantages and disadvantages. you just got to decided your battle. I belive they can both be sweet rigs on and off road. That being said . . . go with the toy
spork40
Registered User
what are the disadvantages of each?
also which is more top heavy? to me cherokees look a bit top heavy when offroad but i have not been around many 4runners.
i'm not looking for the old argument of toy vs jeep, i want to know from those who drive cherokees and 4 runners. what do you like about them and what do you not like about them.
also which is more top heavy? to me cherokees look a bit top heavy when offroad but i have not been around many 4runners.
i'm not looking for the old argument of toy vs jeep, i want to know from those who drive cherokees and 4 runners. what do you like about them and what do you not like about them.
OrvisKrawler
Captain Obvious
- Location
- Eden UT
grand cherokee, zj or wj, way better than any 4 runner or cherokee
love my v8 and leather, coils front and rear, link suspension front and rear, rides nice
love my v8 and leather, coils front and rear, link suspension front and rear, rides nice
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iamsparticus
Take your Rig to the Edge
- Location
- Ogden,Ut
4runner hands down
The Cherokee: Pro's are they are usually cheap to buy and lift kits are decently cheap, in the 400 to 1000 range for a 4 or so inch lift they have axles front and rear, lots of after market support and thats about it.
Con's are they have a weak unibody, the axles they come with are super weak, they are a little top heavy at least the ones ive been in seem like it, the the engines arent the greatest and some of the trannys and transfer cases they came with sucked hard core but that depends on the year you get, i have a huge article on the best years to get, and they are hard to fab too.
4runner: Pro's are it has a very sturdy frame, if you go with a 85 it has a axle in front, axles are built strong if you go with a V6 axle it is 30spline 4pinion axles, they have a very low center of gravity, the motors run for ever and have great power for their size, loads of after market support, easy to fab with and build suspensions on, everything almost is interchangable, low geared axles from the factory for the most part, they are sexy!
Con's are If you go with anything other than a 85 you would have to solid axle swap it, engines are not really powerful so not speed demons on the road, V6 transfer cases are chain driven, they are a little heavy if its a 2nd gen 1990 to 1995, other than that they are great
I'm sure i left out some points on both the pro's and con's on both but im sure others will chime in and disagree or agree but i did my best to answer your question, mind you i have wheeled in and with cherokees but have not owned one
The Cherokee: Pro's are they are usually cheap to buy and lift kits are decently cheap, in the 400 to 1000 range for a 4 or so inch lift they have axles front and rear, lots of after market support and thats about it.
Con's are they have a weak unibody, the axles they come with are super weak, they are a little top heavy at least the ones ive been in seem like it, the the engines arent the greatest and some of the trannys and transfer cases they came with sucked hard core but that depends on the year you get, i have a huge article on the best years to get, and they are hard to fab too.
4runner: Pro's are it has a very sturdy frame, if you go with a 85 it has a axle in front, axles are built strong if you go with a V6 axle it is 30spline 4pinion axles, they have a very low center of gravity, the motors run for ever and have great power for their size, loads of after market support, easy to fab with and build suspensions on, everything almost is interchangable, low geared axles from the factory for the most part, they are sexy!
Con's are If you go with anything other than a 85 you would have to solid axle swap it, engines are not really powerful so not speed demons on the road, V6 transfer cases are chain driven, they are a little heavy if its a 2nd gen 1990 to 1995, other than that they are great
I'm sure i left out some points on both the pro's and con's on both but im sure others will chime in and disagree or agree but i did my best to answer your question, mind you i have wheeled in and with cherokees but have not owned one
BCGPER
Starting Another Thread
- Location
- Sunny Arizona
1\4elliptic toy
shenanigans!
- Location
- The Dark Side
This depends on what years we are talking about, But I think any vehicle with a frame gets my vote over a unisex..drrrr I mean unibody
- Location
- Bountiful, land of rocks
I've never had and doubt I ever will have a Toyota. The seating position makes my bad knees hurt like hell. That said, I think the Toyotas have strong parts and make a very worthy rig.
Cherokees:
cons: "death wobble" issues if the front suspension is not done correctly, unibody (cracks and groans under hard-severe off road use), D35 rear axles
Pros: cheap to build, easily swappable parts to make them run up to 35" (I'd stick to 33" if I built another), cheap to buy and fairly manuverable off road.
I'd find a low mile one with a HP D30 in the front, an 8.25 rear (or swapped in D44). Put a 4-5" lift on it with 33" tires and wheel everything up to Pritchett Canyon level with it for 4-5 years.
4-Runner:
cons:IFS....may or may not be an issue. Solid axle swap seems a bit on the involved side, but maybe it's easier than it seems. Seating position for me but that my not be an issue to others.
pros: Toyota "reliability". They do seem fairly reliable, but I don't know that they are more reliable than other makes. (I've had excellent luck with our 4.0L Jeeps and could drink the Jeep cool-aid like others seem to drink the Toyota or Honda cool-aid). Strong axles and a frame to work with.
Honestly, it'd be tough to go wrong with either as long as you know what you're getting into and where you want to go with it.
- Location
- Bountiful, land of rocks
Because daddy would never buy me a 4 Runner??
I'd let HIM buy himself a 4Runner. They're decent rigs at worst and surprising rigs at other times.
- Location
- Smithfield Utah
Okay... I claim to be a Toyota fan, but if push came to shove this is the reason I would buy the Cherokee over the 4runner. The problem I have with the 4runners is they only have two doors in the earlier years (84-89) and although the 90-95's had four doors I did not like the 22RE (way too underpowered for a 2nd gen) or the 3.0 V6 (I'll keep my opinion on that one to myself) motor options that they came with. If the 96 and newer 4runner V6 with the factory Elocker is an option I would definitely take one over the Jeep--that's just me.
Stock for stock its hard to say whats better. Once you modify them the sky is the limit and both can be built into very capable 4x4's.
Stock for stock its hard to say whats better. Once you modify them the sky is the limit and both can be built into very capable 4x4's.
turbohaulic
I don't know it just is!
- Location
- Hyde Park, UT
Ya I'm not a big fan of the jeep axle choice in most the cherokee's. The dana 35 rear is just short of a mistake. That being said most 4 runners didn't have a solid front like the jeep but then you get to choose your axle. Whats this rig for again? Cause I'd run the independent if its just for light trails. As for the motor I'm with Rot Box. I like the 4 liter motor of the jeep. My dads had lots of power and ran till 188000 miles with no "major" motor work before we sold the jeep.